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A look at both sides of the coin: Investigating the protective and the disclosure effect of patenting

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  • Heger, Diana
  • Zaby, Alexandra K.

Abstract

This paper presents a theoretical and empirical investigation of the two basic effects of patenting: the positive effect of temporarily mitigating competition, and the negative effect of mandatory disclosure of a patent application. Providing empirical evidence for the presented theoretical results we find that (i) a technological lead and the propensity to patent are negatively related as opposed to common intuition, (ii) in industries with imperfect appropriability in case of secrecy the extent of the technological lead is positively associated with the propensity to patent, and that (iii) the intensity of patent protection mitigates the competitive threat a patentee faces.

Suggested Citation

  • Heger, Diana & Zaby, Alexandra K., 2013. "A look at both sides of the coin: Investigating the protective and the disclosure effect of patenting," ZEW Discussion Papers 13-048, ZEW - Leibniz Centre for European Economic Research.
    • Handle: RePEc:zbw:zewdip:13048
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    patenting decision; disclosure requirement; patent scope; vertical product differentiation; IPC codes;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • L13 - Industrial Organization - - Market Structure, Firm Strategy, and Market Performance - - - Oligopoly and Other Imperfect Markets
    • O14 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Industrialization; Manufacturing and Service Industries; Choice of Technology
    • O33 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Technological Change: Choices and Consequences; Diffusion Processes
    • O34 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Intellectual Property and Intellectual Capital

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